Throwback Thursday: Camp Lo--- Luchini

A very underrated group from back in the 90's.... Their album Uptown Saturday Night was a classic. 

Signs The World Is Ending #1

This is beyond ridiculous.... No words can even describe the level of ignorance this future criminal is destined to become. Jordan sneakers, scuffed up walls, and babies running around already sets the tone on the mentality of the adults in the household....

Nicki and Drake Get Married.....

No not exactly but in her new video "Moment 4 Life" she does channel her inner Cinderella and tells her own story through the classic fairy tale. 

Nicki Minaj - New Music - More Music Videos

While I love the message the visual did nothing to take this song to the next level. The problem I have with Aubrey and Onika is that they somehow strayed away from their mixtape persona's and completely went to the inner core of pop over night... I miss the old "So Far Gone" Drake and the nasty female version of Wayne... Nevertheless I'm happy for the success of both artist and I can't wait to see what each artist cooks up on their sophomore efforts  

Google can I work for you?

So below are the top happiest companies to work for.... I've head stories about Google before and IBM isn't bad either. I think if more companies actually took grass roots meetings seriously and be more pro employee maybe you can make happier workers. I plan to be self-employed by the age of 40 if not sooner. I have too much knowledge and intelligence to waste it away on someone else getting paid.....

Adobe

Offers employees positive psychology training; onsite cafeterias, fitness facilities and bocce courts; and 80 associations like knitting and book clubs bring employees together based on personal interests.

American Express

Encourages flexible schedules like telecommuting, job-sharing and compressed workweeks; employees are offered paid sabbaticals; gay partners receive health benefits.

Google

Offers onsite childcare and encourages employees to visit children during the day; famously provides free meals and snacks; supplies ping pong tables and videogame stations where employees can break from work.

IBM

According to happiness expert Shawn Achor, MIT researchers studied thousands of IBM employees for a year and found the more social they were the better they performed. Each additional e-mail contact added $948 in revenue. IBM since launched a program to facilitate employee introductions to increase overall happiness

KPMG

Invests in happiness training; allows employees to take partially paid leaves for up to 12 weeks; encourages flexible scheduling and formal mentoring programs.

Throwback Thursday: Hardknock Life...

Because In Life We All Go Through It...

Well I'm moving on up....to

Atlanta...


No it hasn't yet happened but it's definitely in the works a lot sooner than I would imagined. Point blank the job outlook in my area sucks. I just completed school and with only 15 weeks of clinical rotations for some medical facilities that's not cutting the mustard along the lines of experience. Not saying thats a huge road block considering most hospitals hire more so within than a actual person walking off the street. Regardless I feel as though I've lived and seen everything Va has to offer me. I've made a great life for myself here but lets face it; It's so much more in the world left to be discovered. 


My mom put the "idea" of travel in my head as a wee youngster. I wasn't even in the terrible 2's and I was already on trips to Walt Disney World. She always taught me to seize the moment and take advantage of the great world out there. She visits Vegas atleast once a year, takes a cruise, goes camping in the mountains, all while being retired before the age of 50. Pretty impressive.


I use her get up and go attitude as a blue print for my life. I can't tell you the number of jobs I've applied to within the last couple of weeks. Sometimes this can be so depressing and exhausting. But never one to give up, I simply prayed and asked God for answers and surprisingly he gave me confirmation. I'm not sure what lies ahead on the journey but one thing is for certain you can't fail if you don't try. It's all about faith and trusting in God. I can't wait to look back on my life a year from now and smile like I've never smiled before.


Life is what you make it. Seize the moment.


Blanco

A Man Reaps What He Sows...

That happens to be a great piece of scripture God blessed me with this morning. I can't tell you how much of struggle it is to find peace within your mind, body, and soul. It's like I'm on a never ending road to redemption. Always striving to be better but always coming up short in the end. I feel myself asking why? What am I doing wrong. Then I realized that with each season comes huge responsibilities. Just like planters do the rebuilding seasons of their gardens by planting seeds, breaking up the dirt, all while getting themselves prepared for the next season where they hopefully see a bountiful harvest. Its the same way with life. During the last past year or so I've been trying to seed my life. Doing all the necessary things in order to reap in my harvest. It hasn't been a easy season but I know God didn't orchestrate me on this journey for my health. Everything is for a reason and my steps have been ordered. 


Sometimes in order to get to the next level we must analize all the areas of our life, carefully deciding what should stay and sometimes who should go. It's never easy but all so necessary. Plant the right seeds. Because if you plant small you will reap small. Stop trying to take the easy way out. Cutting corners in  life just to obtain quick success. Plant big. Sacrifice is huge when trying to achieve a goal. Nobody wants to play the background but its often needed when preparation for the harvest in arising.
_________________________________________________________________________

Disclaimer: My blog is in no way a religious book on how to live, but merely my struggles, goals, and dreams and the ways I go about overcoming and achieving great success!




I love to motivate. Perhaps that's my calling? If I'm blessed to go back to school I'd love to be a counselor. I would love to work with inner city youths and help young teen mothers who need some sort of outlet when the world has turned their backs on them. This blog is a outlet but it's not enough. Not for me... 


I hope in the near future it can become a great place where people can come share stories, get advice, and hopefully be a blessing to someone else....


Blanco

Remembering The Dream....

"I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear."

There is so much that be said about one of the greatest people in U.S history. He created a lasting legacy that still holds true today. I remember growing up and listening to his speech in school during Black History Month.. The countless movies and documentaries made in his honor. As a child my parents took me to Atlanta for vacation where I would really see who the man known as Martin Luther King was. We visited his birthplace, Ebenezer Baptist Church, and the King center to view his tomb.


It's sad that current generations aren't as in tuned with what the birthday of Dr.King represented aside from this being a day off from work or school. I wish I could find the Vinyl copy of Dr. Kings speech my mom owned years ago.


Dr. Martin Luther King Jr gave his life so that millions of American's today could live out what the true American dream was suppose to be. I just hope the work he died for can continue to flourish and manifest in todays current society.


Happy Birthday Dr. King

Happy Birthday Aaliyah!

AALIYAH

I remember having the above pic on my wall right above my bed. I use to collect "Word Up" and "Right On" magazines for all the coolest stories and posters. This was before Myspace, Twitter, and blogs came about. This was my rite of passage during junior and high school. Anyway she was the Beyonce of my childhood. I love everything about her. Her transition from sexy pants sagging tomboy to sophisticated leading lady.


I was in shock the day she died. I was riding out with the homies when it came across the radio that she had passed. I can't front I shedded a few tears. She had released one of her greatest album to date and she wasn't gonna be around to watch the progress.


A lot of people have ignorant debates about her presence in the industry and where her place would have been in todays music. I can say this she would have been one of the biggest names in music. Whether she chose sail to great heights in acting or sell out venues across the world her name would be etched as the greatest that ever did it. I miss baby girl but her music will live on for many years to come...


Happy Birthday...

One of my favorite Aaliyah songs...

Blanco

The Darkest Moment In Black History is......

I don't know whether to cry or curl up in a ball and die. This has to be by far the worst form of creative art ever imagined. Now don't get me wrong I see convicted felons, skin heads, and even tribal leaders don a face tat to symbolize some sort of passage, gang initiation, or religious belief but when your an up and coming rap star who just around a year ago was seen less a joke and more of a believable mc has in my opinion did the unthinkable.. 


A ice cream cone tattoo, which I would assume symbolizes his trade maker saying Brrrrrrr? Whatever the case Gucci has been making headlines throughout the day taking it all the way up to Rolling Stones. I can only shake me head and hit publish..

Blanco

Throwback Thursday: Across 110 Street

Man everything I watch Jackie Brown I anticipate hearing this song. There are 3 era's I always wanted to grow up in and the 70's ranks as #1. These sounds are the things music soundtracks are made of. I wish we had this music around today. The only person coming close is Cee-Lo Green. Nothing like a good throwback to take you into the weekend.


Bobby Womack


Blanco

Yeezy and Jeezy are going H.A.M

WATCH THE THRONE

So two of my favorite MC's are teaming up to release the project Kanye talked about in his "Good Friday" recordings last year before his album dropped. Today they released the song "H.A.M" and in my opinion is a great start of things to come. This album will be crazy and the tour which I know they will do will be out of this world. Could you imagine the line up... J.Cole, Rihanna, J.Electronica, etc.... Anyway here's the 4-11 on MTV...


"It was all good just a week ago/ N---as feel they selves and now watch the throne drop/ N---as kill they selves," 'Ye spits. "What n---as gon' do, Hov?/ This a new crack on a new stove, I'm in two, though/ True dat, n---as telling me, 'You back,' like a n---a ever left up out this bitch, huh?/ And if life's a bitch, then suck my d---, huh?/ And I bet she f---ed the whole clique, huh?/ By the way, n---a, you should f---ing quit, n---a/ Just forget it/ You talk it, I live it."
As the beat swells into the chorus, featuring Lex's trademark dark sounds, including an eerie chorus of "oh's," West spits, "I'm about to go ham, hard as a muthaf---a, let these n---as know who I am/ I'm about to go ham."

Next, Jay takes the mic.

"F--- y'all mad at me for?/ Y'all don't even know what I been through/ I play chicken with a Mack Truck, y'all muthaf---as would've been moved," Jay boasts. "I swam waters with great whites, y'all muthaf---as would've been chewed/ I hustle with vultures on the late night, y'all muthaf---as would've been food."


Continuing his braggadocious lyrics, Hov pierces the ego of his haters by taunting that "n---as ain't got my lady's money," referring to wife Beyoncé's considerable net worth. And while Luger's track touts a stabbing bass line, relentless drums and layers of strings, the cut does have a moment of relaxation, when the choir's vocals shine through.

Recently, Luger spoke to MTV News about collaborating with West and Jay.


"I don't know exactly when they recorded the record, but I sent the track a couple months ago when I met Kanye and Jay in New York for the 'See Me Now' record," Luger said. "I've been working with everybody. A lot of people been saying that 'Lex Luger only got that Waka sound,' so I'm trying to take it somewhere else, because I do have another sound, and that's where I want to take it for 2011."

http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1655649/kanye-west-jayz-serve-up-ham.jhtml



I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE WHAT THESE TWO COOK UP...

Procrastination: The Dream Killer...

–verb (used without object)

to defer action; delay: to procrastinate until an opportunityis lost.

–verb (used with object)

to put off till another day or time; defer; delay.

It's something I often struggle with, often hiding into things that require little to no energy to preform. Preferring easy, manageable task over activities that will grant the best rewards in the end. How many of us battle with Procrastinating? 

It's always "I'll put it off until tomorrow" or "I have plenty of time it can wait"

Those are statements we tend to utter, unknowing to the dream or opportunity we are allowing to slip out of our hands and causing devastating effects to our potential successful future.

I hate studying point blank! I'll usually delay it until one or two nights before the actual test or exam. Little did I know what taking a hour or two after class could do in the long run instead of cramming everything into my brain the night before. Good grades aside, preparing instead of rushing tends to ease the mind and allows time for error or mistakes.

Procrastination is a disease. Yes a disease that plagues the mind and stop progression in ones future and everyday life. Never put off today what you can do tomorrow. I'm learning to get the most out of my days and accomplishing everything I can before the sun goes down. I pray that everyone reads this has their own way of tackling Procrastination. I know it's never easy and I pray about it daily... I love living on the edge because I get the most out of being pushed to the limit but as the older I get I think getting work done ahead of time saves time and defers stress... Yuup

Blanco

Weekend Reflections.....

So another weekend has past and I was blessed to have hung out with three of my brothers. It's not often we get up, cut the fool, and chill but every now and then you gotta clear the atmosphere and salvage those family ties. The weather was crazy on Friday night. After leaving home and making a quick trip to Wawa the highways seemed peaceful and quiet on a dark Friday night and then out of nowhere small snow flakes started dancing on my windshield. It wasn't until after I arrived at my destination that my naked silver car was covered from head to toe in a wintry white blanket.. 


It seems like only yesterday I was 21, young, carefree, drinking and partying my night away. Not caring about bills or pushing my car payment back just so I could have a fresh pair of Jordans or a new shirt to stunt at the club.. yeah those days brought back memories... I miss those road trips to the 757 partying Thurs to Sun.... man that was the life..... Over all through the car break ins, fights, late night IHOP runs, NSU, DC, B-More, and everything else in between. The #DMV during my early 20's were some of my most memorable experiences of my life... There wasn't a homecoming we didn't attend a club we didn't go inside.. 


It's good to catch up and reminisce..


So snow came down like musical selections in church on Saturday... Wind, rain, and sun all fought for their opportunities to be seen thankfully none of it provided any hazardous conditions on the road ways.


I watched the #Saints and the #Eagles join us #Cowboys on the losers circle. Sometimes it's lonely on the bottom as well. We welcome you to the party! #Evl


Overall the weekend was decent and peaceful. Went to church, hung out my lil cuzzo, and visited the grandparents. It's like they never age and convince us to eat everything in the house.. lol... I hope everyone has a blessed and productive week.

Blanco

Cheers 2 The Freakin Weekend!!!

Well today is Friday which means everybody is gonna be hitting happy hours or your favorite club spots or bars tonight. Most of my friends are either married, engaged, or far away so when it's time to hang out with my brothers I cherish the moments like family reunions or the surprise of gifts on Christmas morning. Anyway I hope everyone who reads this has a great weekend. Make sure if your drinking to have a designated driver and if your hout having sex WRAP IT UP! Thanks 2 Rihanna this is thee official song to get the weekend started.


"CHEERS".... Had a bad week? Boss piss you off? Kids driving you crazy? Or significant other getting on your nerves? Save all the drama, sit back and listen to this....  Have A Great Weekend Folk!

#Throwback Thursday Digable Planets

Sure we had the Fugees, Camp Lo and a Tribe Called Quest but when my step brother introduced me to Digable Planets I was in heaven... maybe because I had a thing for female group member Ladybug Mecca... I wished they would come back and do another album...

Facebook is the root all Evil.. lol

I can't front when I seen this video I literally had tears in my eyes!! lol. 


1st off Facebook stories and the events that occur afterwards are always making its way into the news. Whether its a pastor who orders it's members to cancel their accounts, people who change their profile pictures to that of a cartoon character which in disguise was a plot by a secret pedophile group, or the countless relationships and marriages which ended ended the social networking giant, Facebook has proven to not always be everyones best friend.


So in the lastest f*ckery of Facebook this man seems to not take to well to his nephew "gang banging" on the Social Network and ends up teaching him a good ole lesson.


Definitely my laugh of the day...

God's Time and not Ours....

I was blessed tonight to attend to a prayer service which was theme was about "HOPE" They discussed how we sometimes we allow the pressures of life to invade our thinking capacity, lose faith, and abandon the HOPE we have for our future. I will admit after losing my job, lost relationships, finances, and taking some time to go back to school I lost hope and sunk into a state of depression. Even though I never showed it, it was something that ate away at my idle mind and I began to think: Why God? Why me? Will I ever get back the things that I thought meant the world to me. So I picked myself up, brushed off the dirt, and claimed 2010 was a rebuilding year. It was a time for God to work on me and renew my strength. Sure it gets depressing because even after completing school there still is the battle to find a job in my career. I hear so many stories about people in my field and those close to it who are having problems finding work in their respective studies. 


I realized now is not the time to give up and lose HOPE. God has a way of turning things around when you least expect him to and will raise you up out of that dark place you thought you were destined to stay in forever. For the past couple of days after the New Year I questioned myself and my worth and if things were ever going to get better. Then I picked myself up and regained my FAITH and tonight God granted me confirmation as he always does in times of trouble or doubt . This story right here which I was blessed to see on the internet today allowed me to see God's power. A story about a homeless man who seemed to be on his last ends was given another opportunity to showcase his God given talent and regain the life he thought was dead forever.





After so many hits the above video went viral and now he's been blessed to appear on CBS The Early Show. He's shaved his hair, has prospective jobs offers, and never gave up his faith and HOPE in God. No matter what your situation is God has a purpose for you in life no matter how big or small.


I have a cousin who dropped out of college, dealt with some rough times all before the age of 21. However God stepped in when he least expected it and now he's blessed to be traveling to the Philippians on a job offer within his company for training which could turn into a longterm thing if he choses. Wow see how God works... 


When I look at those type of stories it gives me HOPE for myself, community, church, family, friends and people everywhere who despite hard times never gave up HOPE to keep their dreams alive and unsuspectingly God steps in and sends you places you never HOPED or dreamed. I'm not giving up HOPE for every season comes heartaches and pain, troubles, and storms, but through it all my Faith is built on nothing less.


Blanco

Marsha Ambrosius - Far Away {Video--}

Very great video and the message was very powerful. Let's stop the hate. Nobody is perfect and we should embrace everyone. Think as God would think...

My top Albums of Last Year.. yeah I'm late..

Ok so I'm tardy for the party.. big whoop de whoop.. I listen to music constantly so I'm always caught up in the mix. I decided to do a lil list of my favorite albums of 2010. They are in no particular order. I love them all for various reasons and keep them all on repeat at various times. So here goes...

Far East Movement - Free Wired

Trey Songz - Passion, Pain, and Pleasure

Keyshia Cole - Calling All Hearts

Kelis - FLESHTONE

Keri Hilson - No Boys Allowed

Jazmine Sullivan - Love Me Back

Erykah Badu - New Amerykah Part Two

CeeLo - The Lady Killer

Diddy/Dirty Money - Last Train To Paris

Rick Ross - Teflon Don

Janelle Monae - The Archandroid

Nicki Minaj - Pink Friday

Fantasia- Back to Me

Drake - Thank Me Later

Kanye West - My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy